Amour & mensonges

I understand that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. But if this film is any indication of the way women think today, God help mankind.

Something To Talk About poses a moral dilemma; A good woman is cheated on by her husband, what are her options? I believe a good litmus test of fairness is that it should work in reverse. If that were done in this case, (i.e.) if the man was the faithful one and the woman the cheat, would this script work? Undoubtedly, if they were to make such a film, there would be an outcry from women so loud it would make a Queer Nation rally at a NASCAR race sound like an ant sneeze.

Juxtapose the events as mentioned and imagine, if you will, a film coddled by conservatives, where all women were whores and the virtuous male lead is cheated on. His wife, no matter how repentant, contrite and persistent, is hung out to dry continuously for the filthy tramp that she is while he flirts with his new female options. Then, just to underscore how biased society is today, all the men in the theater jump up at the conclusion of the film and clap for joy because the male lead is so brave.

Does writer Callie Khouri, (Thelma & Louis, go figure) think it's comforting to leave no hope of ever mending past mistakes? I suppose to some people that is the makings for a great film, but in the real world all people make mistakes and forgiveness is a virtue. As George Bailey would say: "It comes in awfully handy down here, Bub."

This films twisted message is this: the answer to a woman being scorned is to fight back, but on a frightening, Star Wars Dark Lord kind of level. In that regard this movie should definitely be seen by anyone considering dating Callie Khouri.

This is a very clever movie, made with serious intentions, coming out with both a funny and serious side to it. I am talk about the Julia Roberts drama, ‘Something to talk about'. I have seen many movies that look into the issues concerning relationships and infidelity, such as 2002's, ‘unfaithful'. Yet this film looks at a different side of the problems that can hurt a relationship and also shows that one couples problems can be the ‘talk' of the town.

Grace Bichon has a picture perfect life. She helps manage her father's riding-stable and has a great husband and little daughter. That is until she discovers that her husband Eddie is deceiving her with another woman. After confronting him in the middle of the night on the streets of their small home town, she decides to stay at her sister Emma Rae's house for a while, to make up her mind. Breaking out of her everyday life, she starts to question the authority of everyone, especially her father's, thus causing a stir in her parent's marriage, too.

What a great story this film has. I love the way that the audience get the chance to experience what a place it is that poor Grace has to live. It also shows that being part of a relationship is not an easy thing. Another clever addition to the story is the use of gossip, which is perfectly incorporated and performed by the movie's actors. You really believe that this town's people want to know what is going on in the lives of the ‘Bichon family' and that is ultimately why it was called ‘Something to talk about'. This all being said, the film has many characters that I did not like, which is credit to the film's story, allowing me to actually like it. The screenwriter for ‘Something to talk about', is Callie Khouri, who did a film last year, that I want to see, called ‘Devine secrets of the Ya-Ya sisterhood'. Callie wrote a most enjoyable script from where I see it.

There are flawless roles from all involved in the movie. This movie's main star is a gal I like, that being Julia Roberts. I remember reading that someone said Robert's needed to do this movie, to save her career from going down the wrong path. Well she shone in this most likeable of roles. I love the way that her character goes through so many emotions, especially the hot-headed temperament, but for good reason. I had to laugh when Grace is so abrupt, asking all her friends at a meeting, has anyone and everyone in the town been sleeping with her husband. The next line is priceless.

The men in Grace's life are not so great. Husband Eddie (Dennis Quaid) is in a most uncomfortable of situations, which he put himself in. Eddie is upstaged by Grace's sister, Emma Rae (Kyra Sedgwick), who brings Eddie to his knees. Then add in the scene when Grace tries to get revenge on her husband. It is a movie that shows Eddie has done many things wrong. What Grace does might seem a little extreme, but I have no doubt that hurt people will go to such lengths to feel better about themselves and their situation. Grace's father, Wyly King (Robert Duvall) is a man who cares not so much for his family, but more about the disgrace one of his daughter's will bring to the family name, reputation and business. I was shocked when he blurts out ‘All of our friends complain about how their kids grow up and run off and they never hear from them anymore. Why the hell can't that happen to us?'

Director Lasse Hallstrom did a good job with this movie. He certainly seemed fascinated in making a movie which shows how dysfunctional a family really can be, and on more than one level in this film. There was also one name that came up as a bit of a surprise to me in the casting credits, that being Goldie Hawn. She was executive producer of the film, and in some way, you can feel the comedic touch she brought to the film.

‘Something to talk about' hit home personally for me, as I have been part of a family break up, via one parent being unfaithful to the other. It is very hard for kids to understand what is going on when parent's relationships are disintegrating right in front of them. I have resigned to the fact my parents will never be back together again, but this film shows that not all relationships are a lost cause as I am sure they are not. Julia Robert's role in the film was so compelling from where I see it, as she was well within her rights to be as upset as she was. Her role justifies to me, why she is a star in Hollywood today. I guess the only downer for me in this film was the language, which I found just a little slack and disturbing. Roger Ebert said in his review of the film: ‘that ‘Something to talk about' is the kind of film where you start out wondering how all these people are related, and end up knowing all to well'. I could not agree more, but I guess that is what you get when people start to gossip and talk!

CMRS gives ‘Something to talk about': 4 (Very Good Film)

This time it is the man who is unfaithful but the ending is different. When we watched "A Walk on The Moon", "Unfaithful" and "The Bridges of Madison County" we saw three married women have torrid affairs but who were portrayed as sympathetic characters. They ended up staying with their husbands (though the husband in "Unfaithful" probably ended up in prison) while still in love with the men with whom they committed adultery. The husbands who were aware of their wives unfaithfulness, and the one who didn't, all opted to "stand by their women" and were portrayed as being at fault by virtue of working too hard and not paying enough attention to the wives.

But here the shoe is on the other foot. The husband is the one who strays and he is portrayed as being at fault, even though his wife has become distant and unresponsive to him. The double standard is obvious. Kyra Sedgwick was by far the most enjoyable character in the film. She was outstanding as the protective sister of betrayed Julia Roberts. The b*ll kicking scene is painful, but funny. I really liked her and will be looking for more of her work in the future.

The setting is a horse farm that is ruled over by the patriarch played by Robert Duvall. Grace is his assistant manager and carries much of the load. Her husband (Dennis Quaid) is caught cheating on her and she moves out of their bedroom to her sisters apartment. Though her husband is truly repentant and struggles to get her back she is unrelenting and eventually returns to school and we are left wondering if there is ever a reunion. I enjoyed the movie but was struck by the difference in the treatment of male infidelity versus that of the female. I give it a 7/10.

Anything featuring gutter mouthed Julia Roberts I normally bypass but this film also had Gena Rowlands and Dennis Quaid so it was worth a look. I was pleasantly surprised to discover Kyra Sedgwick who stole the show. I hope she has the same sense of humor in real life and if she does, Kevin Bacon is lucky indeed.

Grace Bichon (Julia Roberts) seems to have a happy life with husband Eddie (Dennis Quaid) and daughter Caroline. She dutifully does work with the other wives in the Charity League and runs her father's horse stable. Then she catches Eddie with his mistress on the streets. She leaves with her daughter to stay with her father Wyly King (Robert Duvall), mother Georgia (Gena Rowlands), and sister Emma Rae King (Kyra Sedgwick). There is a horse jumping Grand Prix coming up. As the couple toys with divorce, Grace is pursued by a suitor. Her parents push her to stay in her marriage and her sister joins her in anger.

How one takes this movie depends on how one views cheating. The standard female empowerment would require the wife to overcome the cheating husband and find a new man or find her inner self. This one takes a different tact and it could annoy some people. The actors are solid. Their rom-com personna may not fit the more complicated take on cheating.